Not Just Another High School Love Story
by xxxHikari-Kuraixxx
Summary: Kairi has just been accepted into her one and only dream boarding school: G.L.R. Academy. But everything isn't so picture perfect like she expects it to be when she finds out, not only is she not rooming with her best friend, Namine; but that her real roommate is actually male! ...Wait...what? Is that even legal? ::NOW ON OFFICIAL HIATUS::
1. Chapter 1

_Edited September 9th, 2012_

_**X Not Just Another High School Love Story X  
. Chapter I .  
*~X **__**Totally Different Sides, Completely Different Stories**__** X~***_

* * *

**x**_**X**__*~*_**K****a****i****r****i**_*__~*__**X**_**x**

I've finally made it out. No more crushed dreams. No more lost hopes. No more people bringing me down—

No more Hollow Bastion.

Ah. Is it really possible that it's only three weeks before the fall semester starts at my new school? The same school I've been desperately trying to get accepted into since _before_ I even started my high school journey? Can it really be true that we are on the plane to Radiant Garden right now, at this very moment to start our new life?

The realization of it all finally hits me and relief washes over like a wave during high-tide as I relax in my first-class seat—or should I say: _compartment_.

I have never flown in first-class before. I really just assumed that it'd be a large reclining chair with slightly better service than coach. Oh, but this airline? The one right here that I'm flying with? It gives a whole personal area to lie down in and get a great view of the clouds that spread in uneven bunches across the sky like stretched cotton, through much larger windows.

This is heaven, and I haven't even gotten off the plane yet.

"Hey Namine..." I sit up, brush my red-wine colored hair out of my smiling face, prop myself up onto my elbows and look over to the next first class seat which contains my best friend. "...how great is this?"

"Just as great as it was five mins ago, Kairi…" Her tone is groggy as she groans and turns her back to me. "Now go to sleep. We've been on this flight for thirteen hours." She drifts off during the last few words of her sentence.

I sigh and lay back into my compartment (I still can't get over that) then look back outside of the window and enjoy the scene of clouds gliding across the sky.

I have always loved the sky. In the morning, in the evening—and especially at sunset. Something about during that time, right then when the sun burns across its surface and changes its hues from light blue to red and orange and violet, makes it really beautiful.

My grandmother always tells me to look to the sky whenever I feel lonely. She says that although there are many worlds—they share the same sky. There's no need to feel the loneliness that may hold you back anymore because you know that the people who you miss and care for the most will always be breathing beneath the same sky. How can we be alone when the sky's wondrous stitching always keeps us entwined together?

"Excuse me ladies, please fasten your seatbelts. We're about land at R.G.I.A."

A pointy-nosed woman with a corny smile posted on her face and a high-pitched voice stares at me, and interrupts me from my thoughts. It's a flight attendant.

Although a bit annoyed, I comply with her request and sit up to buckle my seatbelt. I, again, look outside of my window to still see the vast amount of white clouds. But, when I look a little deeper, I can just barely make out the fairly large city with humongous buildings radiating above the clouds.

Eventually, our plane lands and our group goes to the baggage claim to, well… claim our bags, and we walk outside to wait for our ride.

As soon as the sunlight hits our faces, we are greeted with an abundant amount of plant life. Definitely not nearly as much as you would see back home in Hollow Bastion. In fact; for a city, this place looks… I dunno, healthy!

"So..."

"Beautiful," I finish Namine's sentence with an obvious word.

We stand there for about three minutes, enjoying this sight.

The reason behind this city's name immediately becomes evident _right before our eyes_:

Almost everyone has smiles on their faces. But not just fake smiles. They have genuine kind-hearted smiles. And those who don't; just have a natural glow about them. They hold their heads up high with confidence, instead of looking down at the ground with shame. There isn't a hint of air-polluting factories, less cars on the road (well about 12% less than any other major city), not a speck of litter on the ground, and a large amount of recycling bins that are placed in random (yet somewhat systematic) places.

And... this is only the portion of the city that we can see from the airport!

"I think I could get used to this." Namine nods her head as we smile and stand there like a pair of world-class idiots.

"Yeah… me too."

Then, unexpectedly, a large bus obscures our vision; momentarily taking our small slice of radiance away from us.

_GENESIS L. RHAPSODOS ACADEMY—BOARDING SCHOOL_

Is written in huge purple and black letters across the silver bus. I grab my luggage and took in a deep breath.

For this is the first step to my journey of a thousand miles.

Namine does the same thing, as nervous as I am. And so do the two other transfer students from Hollow Bastion that we don't know. But as for everyone else that's either returning from summer vacation, or are from better and less… run down parts of the world, just walk on to the bus without a care in the world.

"K-Kai… Y-you can go first. You know, if you want to…" Namine says shakily.

"N-no. I'm okay." I give her a pathetic smile. "You go ahead and go… I-I'll be right behind you."

"O-okay." She sighs and slowly walks onto the bus.

I am the last person to approach the intimidating doors. Come on Kairi. It's only a bus. You can do this! A little self pep-talk is all I need to summon enough courage to climb up the stairs and give a small glance to the bus driver then hurry to my seat.

"You need help with your bags?" Namine asks while placing her last suitcase in the large storage compartment above our row.

"No I got it." I hoist my suitcase up from its place on the floor and set it into its new temporary home. A few of my other duffle bags soon followed behind it. I sit down in my chair next to Namine who has the window seat.

"Ready, Kairi?" She lets out a large breath of air then grabs my hand, squeezing it to the point of lost circulation.

I look at her and also let out a breath of air. "Ready."

And off we go to our new home.

* * *

**x**_**X**__*~*_**S****o****r****a***_~*__**X**_**x**

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

The annoying sound of an electric alarm clock that's snooze button is locked, blares from my nightstand. God I hate this clock. Since when do snooze buttons have locks?! Ugh. AND it's the first day of going back to that campus. This day sure is going to be swell.

"Sora," I hear my mom call to me from my doorway, "it's time to get up. The bus will be here in an hour and a half."

"Mom…" I say in a sleepy and breathless tone muffled by the pillow under the side of my face, "I still don't get why I can't just live off campus and stay here-"

"No Sora. Do we really have to go through this again?" She rubs her forehead. "You know very well why you can't live off campus. So GET UP so you can get to the bus on time. I know how much you like to take 25 minutes just inside of the shower."

"But Mom…" I whine to her like most teenagers do in the morning to their parents, "I don't want to live-"

"Hikari. Get out of bed. Now!" My mother practically switches personalities when she uses my middle name to show me that she's losing her patience. I mutter something quietly in hopes that she wouldn't actually hear it. But; of course, she did. "What did you say?"

"N-nothing." To be honest, my mom scares me sometimes. Don't get me wrong, she really is a nice person, but has a strict zero-disrespect tolerance. I immediately get from underneath my silk comforter and start to get ready for my day.

"That's what I thought." She holds her head proudly while arrogantly walking out.

After an irritated roll of my eyes, I go across to the other side of my room and pick out clothes. Then I drag my feet over to the door of my bathroom, which is right beside my bed. After thoroughly brushing my teeth, I prepare myself for taking a shower.

Showering really gives me time to think. Time that I don't have in the cold and dry-cut world. Something about how the warm drops massage my back and run through my hair just relaxes me and clears my mind in such a way that I can't explain. To me, it's just self-explanatory.

By the time I finish my shower, my mom informs me that breakfast will be ready in 15 minutes and the that bus will follow soon after in 30 (I guess I took longer than 25 minutes in the shower today). I use this time to ready my suitcases and check them to make sure that I have my necessities. Yep, looks like everything's here. But… where's my phone?

I look around my room and start off calm, then start to panic and have a mini heart attack within the next 2 minutes of not being able to find the small device. When's the last time I had it?

"Sora, breakfast is ready!" my mom calls to me from downstairs.

"Okay. I'll... I'll be down in a minute," I call back down to her. Sighing in frustration of still not being able to find my phone, I decide that it will be better to just wait and look for it until after I finish breakfast.

I go through a long hallway with my bags then down the staircase to find that my dad is already packing up his things to leave.

"Leaving already?" I ask him.

"Mmhmm, I have to be at work a little earlier today. I'll see you later, son." He is already out of the door.

"Okay… bye." I hold my hand in the air even though I know he can't see it. I sigh then set my things next to the front door and go into the dining room/kitchen and sit down at the table.

"What's wrong Sora?" my mom asks me as she sets down a plate of food in front of me, noticing my funk.

"Nothing… it's just that Dad…" I shake my head then let out a pathetic chuckle. "heh. I don't think he even realized that today was my first day…"

"Oh, I see," she sighs then sits down across from me.

"I mean, he just works so hard… and it just bothers me, is all."

"You know that he just wants the best for you, Sora. And we wouldn't have all of the nice things that we have if it weren't for him," she tries to comfort me.

"I do know that but…" I shake my head again. "Tch. Nevermind. I don't know."

My mom looks as if she's going to say something else but a ringing telephone disrupts her thought process. "Uh. Here Sora, we'll talk again in just a second. Just…eat your breakfast."

I look at my plate of food, but then suddenly don't feel an appetite pulling at my stomach. I have 99 other things on my mind and eating isn't really one of them. Staring at the plate of pancakes, eggs, and bacon, I notice its attempt to entice me with its aroma. But I fight the temptation to eat the food and start thinking about my new year in school. After an unknown number of minutes filled with partially intense thinking, a deep sound of a bus horn echos from outside.

"The bus is here." My mother sets the phone down and gives me a hug. "I love you so much, Sora. I'll see you in a few months." She pulls away from the hug and hands me a jacket, "Are you forgetting anything?"

I am about to hurry and answer 'No', but then remember my phone. Swearing under my breath (this time I was sure she didn't hear me), I run back upstairs to go to my room.

"Your phone's down here," she says to me as soon as I make it to my door.

I groan then go back downstairs to thank her and retrieve my phone. I hear the horn honk again, signaling that it is going to leave very soon.

"Hurry up, Sora," my mother warns me and I nod then grab my bags and drag them outside. "Don't forget to call me when you get there!" She waves as I get on the bus.

"'Kay, Mom. I will!" I assure her and climb the bus' stairs. Is there anyone I know from school on here? No. There's not. I go to a pair of lone seats in the back and put my bags away inside of the bag carrier. The bus starts up as soon as I take my seat and buckle in.

Sitting back, I plug headphones into my iPhone and turn on 'Shuffle' so I can tune out the rest of the world.

* * *

**x**_**X**__*~*_**R****o****x****a****s**_*__~*__**X**_**x**

"Hey Roxas," I can just barely hear Pence grab my attention with his soft voice over the sound of my suitcases dragging along the stone paving of the very entrance to the train station.

"Hi Pence." I let go of the extended handle in my left hand to wave to him. "Where's Hayner and Olette?"

"Oh, they're with my dad so that they can get all of the information sorted out for us to ride the train and stuff. They told me to wait for you out here for you."

"Oh okay." I display my understanding by grabbing my suitcase's handle again and sling my other bag on my shoulder. "Let's go inside then."

He nods and leads the way inside to the checkout desks where the waiting area is then waits for me as I put my baggage down in one of the seats. They're becoming too difficult to haul around everywhere. We see that Pence's father is at the counter consulting with someone, so we go to Hayner and Olette, who are in conversation, and head towards them.

"Finally you get here," Hayner groans as he 'greets' me.

"Hello to you too…" I stretch my arms out and yawn then wave at Olette in the process. "Hey Olette."

"Hi Roxas," she says with a smile.

"Have...you guys seen her at all?" I ask them.

"No…" All three of my friends sigh in unison then start to turn their heads to search for her again.

I just shrug. "Don't worry, guys. We'll just try and find her when we get to Radiant Garden, I guess…"

"Wait a minute…" Hayner says, looking into the distance then he points a finger towards the entrance. "Look. She's over there."

This time, it's my turn to turn my head and face the direction where Hayner was pointing. Just like he said, she's walking in the front entrance with one of her father's assistants carrying her bags for her.

I start to walk to the front entrance but Pence steps in front of me. "Roxas, are you sure you want to go over there right this moment? I mean… maybe we_ should_ wait until we get Radiant Garden."

I shake my head. "No. I have to talk to her now. I just… yeah I need to talk to her right now." Pence hesitates for a second, but moves out of my way. I start to move again so that I can see the only reason why I'm at Twilight Train Station to Radiant Garden right now:

Xion.

Walking the small distance from the waiting area/check-out center to make my way to the entrance, I pass through loads of people just to get to the brunette girl. I take in a deep breath as I get closer to my destination where she unknowingly waits for me.

"Uh… Hey Xion." I casually lift my hand and wave as I approach her, my heart pumping fast.

Her head quickly snaps upward from its previous downward position, making her eyes look into mine.

Anger.

That's the first thing I see when her cold indigo eyes meet my large blue ones. But it isn't unexpected.

"Roxas," I could tell she was questioning my presence, but she said it so dull that it sounded like a statement, "why the hell are you here."

I wince are her harshness, though I knew this was coming. "Xion, I'm a… GLR student now."

She looks at me, her eyes going from going from 'Angry' to straight up 'Pissed'. "You're what?"

"...Yeah. I'm going to Radiant Garden." I scratch the back of my head to try to find comfort in this uncomfortable situation, then I clear my throat. "Look, Xion. I really didn't want to make you mad… I just want-"

She starts to shake her head in disbelief. "Wow. This is just—I can't even believe you would…" She trails off when she sees Hayner, Pence, and Olette walk over to me and starts to laugh, but I could tell she was far from amused. "You even brought your whole crew with you!" She pauses then looks back at me in even more disbelief. "Roxas. Honestly, did you really think that this was going to change anything?"

I was going to answer but then she started to walk off away from me.

"Xion, wait!"

"Just leave me alone." She waves her hand to shoo me, I stand there frozen for a second. "I don't want to think about YOU or anyone else for that matter."

"Please, can't we just talk?!" I beg as I follow after her, but it's hard to keep track of one person in this crowded train station. Even if she is one of the only people with black hair.

"NO. Can't you just take a hint? I'm done, Roxas! I'm done with you and your games. And I have been for a while now. So leave me alone!"

"Xion, I said that I'm sorry! Please, just forgive me at least."

Xion stops right in her tracks, almost causing me to bump into her. She turns around and cuts me a look as sharp as a thousand knives. "Fine. I forgive you. Happy now, Roxas? Are you _satisfied_? You came here and you even switched schools just for that. My forgiveness. I guess you can go home now, can't you?"

I just stand there, my mouth slightly open. Speechless. I couldn't think of anything to say at that moment.

She scoffs impatiently and walks away from me again. This time...I don't go after her.

Hayner, Pence, and Olette run up behind me and catch their breath.

"Hey Roxas," Pence says to me, still gasping for air, "y...you okay?"

"I'm fine…" I mutter, although I don't really mean it. I sigh then get ready to go through security so that I can get on our 3-hour train ride.

I can't believe this. I thought that switching schools with Xion would make her at least stop trying to avoid me so much! I even convinced Hayner, Pence, and Olette's parent's to let them come with me! But… she won't even give me the time of day. What am I supposed to do? This whole thing is just discouraging.

"Roxas, cheer up." Olette comes from behind me and smiles. "Things will work out in the end. You'll see."

Sighing, I pick up my bags up from where I left them earlier.

I... I hope you're right, Olette. I really do.

* * *

**~Story Guide~  
**

**_New characters, new places, and the number of minutes spent typing/editing._  
**

**Characters In Action So Far—**

Kairi Noelle LeRoux

_**Bio**_: Kairi is a Junior in High School and age 16. She lived in Hollow Bastion her whole life until she goes to GLR Boarding School. Kairi moved away from Hollow Bastion with her best friend, Namine, because she got the _Angeal Hewley Fund Sports Scholarship_ for her gymnastics and blitzball playing skills.

Sora Hikari Akarui:

_**Bio**_: Sora is a Junior in High School, age 16. He was born in Radiant Garden, and lives a wealthy and well-lived life. He has been attending GLR since his freshman year in High School. He also has a best freind named, Riku, who also attends the school.

Roxas Equinox Villanueva:

_**Bio**_: Roxas is also a Junior and is age 16. He lived in Twilight Town with his best friends, Hayner, Pence, and Olette. But for some unknown reasons, he has decided to live out his Junior year in High School at GLR Academy. It is said to be because of the brunette beauty, Xion.

**Places So Far—**

Kingdom Hearts: The distant land where all of the places are located and all of the events take place.

Hollow Bastion: The place where Kairi was born. It is one of the smaller cities in Kingdom Hearts and doesn't have the best education system either.

Radiant Garden: One of the best cities in all of Kingdom Hearts. And is the home of GLR Boarding School.

Genesis L. Rhapsodus—Boarding School: Also known as GLR Academy Boarding School. One of the biggest and best high schools in all of Kingdom Hearts, located in Radiant Garden.

_*Namine's Bio will now be introduced later on._

* * *

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any Kingdom Hearts worlds, characters, etc. All Copyrights go to Square Enix and Disney.**_

_Number of Minutes Spent Typing/Editing: 489_

**So, what do you think of it so far? I hope you enjoy this story.  
****Thank you for reading! Please review, favor, and alert!**

**xxxHikari-Kuraixxx (xxxLight-Darkxxx)**


	2. Chapter 2

_Edited September 14th, 2012_**  
**

**Beginning Note: Things work differently at this school than how it would at a normal boarding school.**

* * *

_**X Not Just Another High School Story X  
. Chapter II .  
X Or So I Thought X**_

_**~Only Kairi's POV~**_

* * *

**Last Time In Kairi's POV:**

_I am the last person to approach the intimidating doors. Come on Kairi. It's only a bus. You can do this! A little self pep-talk is all I need to summon enough courage to climb up the stairs and give a small glance to the bus driver then hurry to my seat._

_"You need help with your bags?" Namine asks while placing her last suitcase in the large storage compartment above our row._

_"No I got it," I grunt as I hoist my suitcase up from its place on the floor and set it into its new temporary home. A few of my other duffle bags soon followed behind it. I sit down in my chair next to Namine who has the window seat._

_"Ready, Kairi?" she asks me while letting out a large breath of air then grabs my hand, squeezing it to the point of lost circulation._

_I look at her and also let out a breath of air. "Ready."_

_And off we go to our new home._

* * *

"Hello, welcome to Genesis Lux Rhapsodus Boarding School. New students report to the 7th floor for orientation… Hola, bienvenido a Genesis Lux Rhapsodus Internado…"

A female automated voice projects through the bus' intercom as we just reach our destination. And from what I can see, the outside of the Main Building (which is one of dozens and dozens of other beautiful buildings) is decorated with small, concrete fountains evenly placed along a huge sidewalk made out of large, shiny black tiles with white crackled designs on it's exterior. Its 20-floor majesty towers above us and it seems as if its whole structure is made out of pure crystal.

Namine and I grab our belongings and follow our group who is walking through the clear revolving doors that were outlined with strips of platinum. Once we step in, all we can do is freeze and stare. Our eyes have now grown twice the size they were previous to the sight. We probably look goofier then those old cartoon characters do when they looked surprised.

Not like we didn't have a reason to, though. This place is _'pimped out'_! As my old friend, Amber, would say.

And pimped out it is indeed.

The first thing you notice is the huge statue built in the center of the colossal lobby. It's of Genesis Rhapsodos: the man this school is named after. Surrounding it, is a wishing-well type stream with aquamarine water slowly moving around the statue in a circular current. Hanging above it, is a diamond chandelier with close to maybe a million tiers. The luminous hanging object is so bright, that it's the only source of light in this whole lobby.

Below your feet, are more black tiles with sterling grout with white cracked designs like how they were on the outside tiles.

It's just so… so… _gorgeous! _It really is gorgeous inside of the lobby! _The_ _**lobby**_!

First the airline _compartment_, then the airport, then this lobby.

Can this get any better?

We gaze at the magnificent sight with our mouths just about touching the floor. Some tears well corners of our eyes. Others have already began to fall.

"I-I don't know about you, K-Kairi…" Namine can barely speak, "But I… I don't think I ever want to go back home."

"Y-yeah…" was all I could choke out.

"Woah. This makes the airport look like a pile of-" A person from Hollow Bastion was about to say but his friend shushed him.

Once we are released from our trance and we finally get knocked back into reality; we head over to one of the many check-out desks to ask where the elevators are. A friendly woman with a faint smile on her face and a black telephone positioned to her ear points over her shoulder to a hallway which leads to two elevators with brass doors. I thank her for her help and everyone in our group go over to the elevator. Well, almost everyone; some kids who weren't new students go off to the registration desks.

Although the elevators are fairly large, they aren't big enough to hold our 17-person group. So, 8 of us went in one elevator, and 9 went into the next. Namine and I, somehow, make it into the elevator with more people.

Once the elevator makes an abrupt stop on the seventh floor, we drag our tired bodies out of the machine and onto the cherry oak hardwood floors. We walk through a thin hallway. As I look up at a black door with '_715 A'_ engraved on it in cursive, Namine pushes it open and our group walks inside of the room. I can hear a ton of automated voices echoing back and forth against each other. Machines labeled 'A-Z'; are giving people their schedules and school information.

"Okay so I have to go to 'K', Kairi. I'll see you at the orientation, okay?" Namine says, already walking off of to her machine booth.

"Alright!" I wave 'bye' to her although she is already on the other side of the room.

Everyone else around me disperses until I'm just standing here all by myself. I walk over to the automated system labeled 'L' and wait in line.

When I finally make it to the front of the line, I drag my luggage and approach the machine. The same female voice I heard on the bus begins to speak, "Hello. Please select your last name."

Many names come up onto the touch screen and I scroll down the list to find 'LeRoux'.

"LeRoux, Kairi N. Is this correct?"

I quickly touch 'Yes'.

"Hello, Kairi. Welcome to GLR Academy Boarding School. Where we Excel Ever Upward! Report to orientation in room 715 B after I give you your information. Take the rulebook down below on your left."

The machine dispenses a small booklet with a leather casing. It had _'Rule & Guidebook'_ written in metallic black and purple letters.

_Leather just for the rulebook?_ _This place is amazing!_

"Right now, I am also handing you a folder with the information you will need for the rest of your school year."

A shiny white plastic folder with the school symbol on the front suddenly shoots outward from a slot. Inside it has my school I.D. and my class schedule among many other things.

"Lastly, here is your room and board information." The machine dispenses out another folder which is black and purple, our school colors. I took off towards Namine, but when I went to the side of the room where 'K' was, she isn't here.

_She must have already gone to our dorm. _I absent mindedly think, forgetting about having to go to room 715 B.

I take the folder that is wedged between my arm and side then looked at the section labeled 'Room and Board'. Hmmm... my dorm is in the South Wing where all the other dormitory buildings are. I don't bother to look at who I'm rooming with because Namine and I have already requested to be roommates, so there isn't anything to worry about.

Or so I thought.

I walk down the streets of the campus. And yes, they are _streets_. Not just sidewalks, no small pathways to get from building to building—but _**streets**_. I don't think I can stress the word more than I already have.

I probably should take one of the trains that the school offered for convenience, especially with my jet-lag and for the sheer fact that I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep on that plane, but I decide against it since today is such a beautiful day.

Bad idea.

This is _the biggest _high school campus in all of Kingdom Hearts.

It has to be at least six-thousand acres wide! Or at least that's what it feels like.

Since the South Wing of the campus is on the whole other side of the campus from where the Main Building is, and since I was lost a numerous amount of times, it took me over an hour and a half to get to the dormitory. The sun has already set and it is evening when I eventually make it to the specific building where my dorm is. I go up onto another elevator which carries me to the 3rd floor then walk to room _AL-310_. I don't even remember pulling out my I.D. card to slide into the small slit which gained me access into the dorm room. All I remember was feeling my way through my dorm (which didn't have any lights on for some reason), and finding the softest thing at that very moment to blackout on.

* * *

The suns rays from outside make their way into the room that I am in, and lightly heat up my face, waking me up from my rest.

Ouch. My whole body _hurts_. What did I sleep on last night? I look down beneath me and see that I am sleeping on soft white and cream colored rug. Figures. But why does my body hurt so much? I've slept on the floor plenty of times.

I look up and see that I am in between a black coffee table and modern cream colored loveseat with its matching black throw pillows out of place.

_I __**fell off**__ the couch?_ I scream inside of my mind because I'm not usually this wild of a sleeper. Peeling myself off of the floor, I look around the room and I almost collapse back down again when I see what I am going to be living in over the next year.

It. Is. Absolutely. _Beautiful_.

From where I am standing, I can tell that this is maybe a 'living room' of sorts. It has modern furniture laid out in a professional fashion: Coffee tables, couches—even a TV! They are all in this very room. White rugs were completely free from any type of blemish. The walls are a slightly off-white and cream color. Everything; the colors, the furniture, the _pieces of artwork_: it all blended and stood out at the same time. I know they said that they made these dorms as close-to-home as possible (which was obviously a higher standard than my original home in Hollow Bastion), but I didn't think that they meant it literally.

Then again, I have made a lot of false assumptions about this place.

Walking away from the couch, I go down the hallway on my right and see one door at the end of it. I open the door and see that it leads to the outside of the dorm, so I know this is where the entrance is. I also see my bags lying in the side of the hallway. I was so sleepy that I didn't think to even grab my bags!

I walk past the main room again and went to the other side of the dorm which is a hallway. This hallway is longer considering the increased amount of art on the walls and the two closed doors looking at me instead of one. One door on the end of the hall, and the other on my left.

_Decisions, decisions…_ I think to myself and tsk. I decide to go to the door on my left.

It's locked.

Why...would they have a locked door inside of the room? Uhm, oh well, I guess. I'll just go to the next room. After turning the silver knob to gain access to the next room, I become amazed with another sight. All of this beauty is becoming slightly overwhelming.

The first thing I see is a full-sized bed with white pillows and brown and gold comforters spread across them. Beside it, is a white telephone on a coffee brown nightstand. I walk further into the room and look to my right and I see another door. On the wall that is left of the bed, are two large dressers. An elegant steel desk is located on the opposite side of the bed. I almost drop dead at this marvelous sight. I even start to feel a little light-headed.

The door that is inside of the room is begging me to open it, so I do…

Bathroom.

But it isn't just any bathroom.

No. This bathroom is like a mini-version of those ones I would see in MTV's Celebrity Cribs.

It has a hot-tub, that is also used for bathing; there's also one of those walk-in showers with fogged glass.

And the mirror. Don't get me started on the mirror! It is HUGE and is its own wall. It has a sink and a marble white bathroom counter hanging off of it.

Oh my.

Oh my, oh my, oh my.

I drop to my knees and joy wells up inside as I take in what is actually happening. My past realization was nothing compared to this one. I can barely take it all in now: _**I**_ am going to school here! _**I**_ am going to be _living here!_ _**With**_ my best friend!

Living _HERE_!

With my _**best frie**_-

Wait a sec. Where's Namine?

My eyes open at the sudden shock of realizing that I am the only living being in this dorm.

"Oh no! Where could she be? Did she never find the dorm? Did she get lost?" I scream in a panicked tone as I run all the way around the dorm again, and again, and again.

I run outside of the dorm and I am about to scream her name all throughout the building but then I saw my luggage piled up outside of the door.

Light bulb.

"CELLPHONE!" I gasp and rummage through one of my small duffel bags to retrieve the small object.

_15 Missed Calls  
3 New Text Messages._

_(14) Missed Calls from __**Bestiee :) **__  
(1) Missed Call from __**Mom**_

_I totally forgot to call Mom back after I got off the plane!_ I thought and went to my message inbox.

_Text messages from _**Bestiee :)**_ :_

_**Hey Kai. Pck up ur fone! i knw ur upset about wat happnd but plz call me. idk where u r.**_

Upset? Upset about what?

_**Kai! Y arnt u calling me back? Dnt ignore me plz call me bac… NOW!**_

_**Kairi! At least tell me your dorm room number!**_

_Wow. She spelled everything right on that last one. That must mean—wait… why doesn't she know my room number?_

I put my phone in my pocket and literally start throwing bags out of the way. For some reason the folder with my room and board information is under all of my baggage.

_Room & Board for: __LeRoux, Kairi N._

_Room Number: AL-310  
Building: 6  
Group: DDITG #1_

_Roommate: __Akarui, Sora H._

That definitely isn't Namine's name.

I read it over again to make sure my eyes aren't deceiving me. I start to panic again but this time I am on 'Red Alert' mode. I snatch my phone from out of my pocket, almost dropping it. Since I know it by heart, I quickly dial Namine's number. I notice the small smudges that my sweaty fingertips left as I moved the phone up to my ear.

"Come on, come on pick up!" I yell anxiously to the dial-tone.

"_Kairi! Y-you finally called me back! Where are you?"_

"At my dorm!"

"_Okay-"_

"Where are you?"

"_I'm-"_

"Namine! What's happening?"

"_Well this-"_

"What's going on?!"

"_Kairi just let me talk-"_

"Who's Sora and why is _**SHE**_ my roommate partner instead of _YOU_?!"

* * *

_**I hope you guys don't mind the frequent switching in POV's. But, there is a pattern to how I'm doing it. It all will work within the story. And I'm gonna keep doing the Last Time in _ POV at the beginning of each persons new POV.**_

**13NeverForget14: Thanks! Hallow Bastion isn't... bad, necessarily. But it isn't good either. It just depends on who you are. And Sora is supposed to be kind of badass :). And I can't tell you what's gonna happen between Roxas and Xion (that would give up like half of the story!). And school does suck. A lot. But! I will get through it...hopefully.**

**OmegaStarShooter14: Oh don't worry. This really won't be a regular high school story. Oh yeah, and I've seen in many (And I seriously mean _MANY_) fics where Sora and even Roxas' surnames are "Hikari". Same with Vanitas with "Kurai". I actually made his name sound kind of feminine on purpose (notice Kairi's reaction? XD). But yeah, I think Hikari can be either girl or boy. And you can be brunette if you have black or brown hair. I actually think it's kind of stupid to have the same word for both colors. I think that us people with black colored hair should have our own names! And thanks for reviewing!**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. All rights go to Square Enix and__ Disney._**

_Number of minutes spent typing/editing: 307  
_

* * *

**Thank you _13NeverForget14, Applepiegirl222, Dhampirangel, emmausgirl94, Gohan Roxas_, and _OmegaStarShooter14_ for the alert! And thank you _emmausgirl94_ for the favorite!**

**Thank you for reading~ ^^.**

**xxxHikari-Kuraixxx (xxxLight-Darkxxx)**


	3. Chapter 3

_Edited September 14th, 2012  
_

_**X Not Just Another High School Story X  
. Chapter III .  
X Absolutely Unbelievable X**_

_**~Only Sora's POV~**_

* * *

_**Last Time In Sora's POV:**_

_"Hurry up, Sora," my mother warns me and I nod then grab my bags and drag them outside. "Don't forget to call me when you get there!" She waves as I get on the bus._

_"'Kay, Mom. I will!" I assure her and climb the bus' stairs. Is there anyone I know from school on here? No. There's not. I go to a pair of lone seats in the back and put my bags away inside of the bag carrier. The bus starts up as soon as I take my seat and buckle in._

_Sitting back, I plug headphones into my iPhone and turn on 'Shuffle' so I can tune out the rest of the world._

* * *

The bus…broke down. In one of the most… 'remote' places in all of Radiant Garden.

GLR Academy gets _billions of dollars_ in funding each year… and **our** bus breaks down. And we are miles away from one of the many transit stops where they can work on whatever damage has been done. All of the rest of the buses are obviously too busy picking up other students today, because they just _have_ to pick up every student on _this_ very date.

Fantastic.

I raise my hand over my forehead as a cheap defense from the sun's unyielding ultra-violet rays. Of course, on top of all the dreadfulness of this wretched day, I forgot to pack sunscreen.

Maybe I'll just… check my surroundings so I can get an idea of where exactly we are.

Now, let's see: In the distance, I can clearly identify the high rigid peaks and deep valleys of Radiant Garden's mountain range merging against the sky. They almost look like they are an illustration. And, judging by their size and cloudy blue tint, I'd say that we're still about 4 hours away from the school's location. By car.

Damn this overly-large city.

I walk on the dirt side-road to seek out our bus counselor. I need to see what we're going to do about this whole set-back.

I look around to find a short-ish woman with distinct shimmering light-pink hair pulled into a side ponytail and ghostly blue eyes that are the same color as my name. If she weren't pacing around like a blumbering maniac, I could say that she's _breath-taking_. She almost looks too young to be a counselor in charge of teenage students with her tiny frame and young-looking face.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Thiscannotbehappening. Oh my. Ohmyohmyohmyohmy…"

"Hey uh…you alright?" I ask her, somewhat concerned.

She turns her head away from me, almost like she's dodging my words, and keeps pacing. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. "Maybe if I-… no. That's not gonna work. Well then I could do that-! …no that'd never do. WhatamIgoingtodo? Ohmy…"

"Hey, hey." I step closer to her, attempting to tap her shoulder but she flinches the other way, out of my reach, not even trying to stop her course, making a clear path of her footsteps. I swear, if she keeps this up, she'll dig a ditch to her own grave.

"P-please-leave-me-alone-right-now… J-just… Just u-until I f…f-figurethisout." Her repetitive stutters and panicked breaths blend together within her words. I can barely understand them—she sounded like an old broken record. Does this counselor have a speech impediment?

While watching her fast movements, an idea dawns on me. Why _the hell_ hadn't I thought of this sooner? Human communication!

I pull my phone out of my pocket and start to put in my pin-code to unlock my phone, only to find that it's flying out of my hand to an unknown location. The hell…?

"NO!" the Pink-Haired-Lady stands in front of me, yelling hysterically, "T-there's no need in doing anything of that sort! I-I can figure this out… J-justgivemeasecond."

Hm.

She knocked my phone.

Out of my hand.

…Well, usually under these circumstances (having one of the most stressful mornings of my young life; being trapped in uncharted territory in a city that is so big that it could be counted as its own country if it really, REALLY wanted to; and, of course, the fact that my phone is now lost in said territory) I'd lose my temper, and become a wild screeching Pygmy Chimpanzee. Then I'd lose my mind, and make even my nutty counselor over here think something was wrong with me. I really would. In fact, it's still very tempting…

But no. This is different. Going mad is not going to benefit anyone at this point.

And…my phone didn't have a signal anyways.

The lady looks at me with a devilish craze in her eye like she's just daring me to say something go her. I say nothing. Then, almost as if this mini-event had just dissipated from her memory, she began pacing and muttering to herself about the main problem at hand again.

I observe her for a moment. I peer a little closer and pay a bit more attention to the details on her face. I can see that there are tiny drops of sweat forming on her brow and forehead, and her cheeks are redder than the rest of her face, like they're burning. This heat is getting to her. I can tell. Gently, I use my voice to try and guide her out of her frantic state, "Look, Miss..." I look to her metallic nametag-pin. "Farron. Just… calm down." The words are obvious.

She stops her constant movement right in her tracks. Tilting her head to the side and narrowing her eyes, using them to mentally claw at me and bore holes into my face. Her whole attitude has… snapped. Out of place. Like her mind has become a dislocated limb. "Calm down? _Calm down_?" She steps a little closer to me.

All the key points to the makings of the climax in a truly terrifying horror movie seem to be mixing together within her emotions like she's about to reign a mighty tornado of terror on me. I can see it in her eyes.

Her impossibly quick change in mood and her disturbingly quiet tone immediately strikes fear inside me. I stumble backwards ever-so-slightly, backing off. I gulp for no apparent reason, since my mouth is already dry as a bone. "Y-yeah. I think you just need to take a…deep breath."

"A _deep breath_, huh?" she asks.

I nod slowly.

Her eyes unchanging, she still stays 'composed'. "Do you know what my job is…?" She looks at me, asking for my name.

"Sora."

"Well, _Sora, _do you know what my job is?"

"Well, no. Not really."

"Take a wild guess."

"Uh…" Why is she changing the subject? I have a school to get to, you know! "I think you… keep track of us…"

"And…?"

This is ridiculous. "And… you keep us… safe, I guess?"

"Yes, Sora, my job is to keep you safe. Safe and out of harms way. Your parents, and the school board, expect me to do my job _properly_. So do you know what happens when I **don't** do my job properly?"

I just stare at her. What is she trying to get at?

"…No? Then I'll tell you what happens:" she pauses for a second and steps closer to me, getting into my face. This woman is seriously crazy. "I. Get. Fired!" Her voice is booming.

…How is this really even my problem?

"But! (There's always a but.) Not _**only**_ do I get fired—but this whole 'little' mishap will go on my record. My _record_, Sora. Permanently. And do you know what that means…?" She didn't even give me time to answer. "It _means_ that I won't be able to get another good job like this anymore. I'll be reduced to some greasy, burger-flipping, middle-class, buffoon who doesn't have enough money to support herself! Then, I'll have to move in to some low-grade apartment and barely live off of breadcrumbs and milk and welfare for the rest of my despair-filled life. _Welfare_!"

I doubt that this is all that serious…

Ms. Farron huffs and starts to pace and mumble again.

I roll my eyes and say something under my breath, "I still think you should just breathe for a second… geez."

This grasps her immediate attention and Ms. Farron looks at me, now completely drilling me with her eyes. "You know what, Sora? Yeah, you're right. I **do **just need a deep breath…"

Finally. She gets it. Just take a damn chill pill, Lady! It'll do us all some good.

"…Because OBVIOUSLY deep breaths will solve this problem. Just like it has all my other problems!" she says sarcastically. "I mean, why don't we go to the President of Kingdom Hearts, or to the United Worlds*, or MAYBE to the child-victims who lost their hearts in The Great Heartless War and go tell them to 'take a deep breath' while we're at it?! Because that will definitely solve ALL of our problems! Breathing! Of course!"

Did she just compare this problem to war?

"Leave me, _alone, _while I figure this out. I need solutions, Mister Akarui. I don't need to BREATHE."

She… knew who I was the whole time?

* * *

After several more rounds of trying to convince my counselor to calm her nerves, and 120 enduring minutes out in the skin-blistering sun, another bus arrives and comes to pick us up. But it didn't take 4 hours to get to GLR like I expected it to.

It took 6.

After the bus fiasco and we started to get back towards civilization again, we had to make stops for food and bathroom breaks. So by the time we actually _did_ make it to the school, the Main Building was closed. So, as our final resort (and for the fact that if we didn't come up with any ideas, then Ms. Farron would probably cut her own head off), we just checked into a hotel until they opened back up the school in the morning.

This day just keeps gettin' better and better.

* * *

"…_-And they made you guys stand out in the hot sun for 10 hours?!"_

"No, Mom. It was only 2."

"_Same difference, Sora! Are you sure you're alright?"_

"Yes Mom."

"_Don't 'yes Mom' me. Tell me Sora, did you get sunburned?"_

"…No."

"_I know you're lying, Sora."_

"Look. Mom. I gotta go…get checked out. I'll call you back later on, okay?"

"_Fine… But, wait Sora! Just tell me-"_

Click.

I knew I shouldn't have called her.

I walk inside of the cool, air-conditioned building and go over to the Registration Desks where some students were already checked out. There's a man sitting behind a desk typing something up on his computer and looks up at me when I walk up to him.

"Name," he says in a monotone voice.

"Uh…Sora. Sora Akarui."

"Grade."

"Eleventh." Two can play at this game.

"Sign this form and take the elevator to the 7th floor for your student information." He returns to his work.

I drag my bag along the tile floors of the building and go sit down over to where all of the other returning students are. The new students already head upstairs. In a somewhat comfortable enough seat, I start to fill out the form. After that, I go put the sheet into a sort-of mail-slot-looking thing then go to the elevator. The building is relatively empty since the main registration took place yesterday. It's also very quiet in this elevator since I was the last person to finish their application. My footsteps echo against the walls and into my eardrums as I walk to room 715 A.

Usually, I would hear a lot of women monotone computer voices project throughout this whole entire room, but it was only the kids from our bus inside to get student information, so it wasn't so loud. And surprisingly, I was the only person with a last name beginning with 'A', so I could go straight to the machine.

"Hello, please select your name."

_Akarui. _I touch, almost like it was an impulse. I'm so used to this routine.

"Akarui, Sora H: returning student. Is this correct?"

_Yes._

"Hello Sora. Welcome back to GLR Academy Boarding School. Where we Excel Ever Upward! Report to orientation in room 715 B after I give you your information. Take the rulebook down below on your left."

We still get an orientation even though we're the only ones here? Ugh, figures…

I take the rulebook from the slot.

"Also, here is the information folder for the rest of the year."

I take the folder.

"Lastly, here is your Room & Board information."

Great, now all I have to do is get that stupid orientation over with... You know what? No. I'll skip out on orientation this year since they do the same things _every year_ to introduce the newbies to GLR. I just want to get settled into my dorm and have this god-awful weekend over with.

I open my folder and take a peek at my Room & Board information.

_Room & Board for: __Akarui, Sora H._

_Room Number: AL-310  
Building: 6  
Group: DDITG #1_

_Roommate-_

Meh. I really I couldn't care less about who my roommate is because I already know that I can't switch them now, whoever they are anyways. I stuff the paper back into the folder and start to walk out of the building to the South Wing.

Eventually, I make it to my building, not knowing what to expect when I walk inside at meet my roommate for the year. The elevator ascends and takes me to the third floor. Once completely at an abrupt stop, I walk out of the metal machine and begin to pace myself towards my room. When I go up to the door, I see that it's…different from the other doors of dorms that I've been in. I remember during freshman year orientation that they said in a few years some doors would be different for some reason. But, for the life of me, I can't remember what it was.

Huh. Maybe I _should_ have gone to that orientation. I don't even recall _ever_ being in the 'DDITG' group before. Actually, I…didn't even know we HAD a group called DDITG…

Eh, whatever. It's too late to turn back now. I don't feel like grabbing my I.D. to open the door, so I just knock. It's only being polite to my new roommate.

I hear the doorknob turn slightly and try my best to force a smile to greet my new roommate, as they open the door. Whoever was on the other side only opened it half-way, and I didn't even look to see what they looked like before I greeted them.

"Hey… I'm Sora Akarui. Your new roommate."

_BAM!_

The door slams right in front of me. Hard. So hard, that my spikey hair blew back a few inches from the wind that the door produced.

I could have sworn that I saw a girl's eyes looking at me.

I start to hear 2—no wait, 3—voices muffled and arguing behind the door. Only one of them was male.

"Um… Hello? _Hello~_?" I say into the door and start to bang on the door. "Is anyone going to tell me what's going on here?! Hello?"

One of the voices sounds panicked as I keep banging on the door. After a few more pointless hits, I realize that door isn't going to open anytime soon so I put my ear up to the door to see what they are talking about.

It's a girl's voice that I hear.

"_W-wait a minute…Sora H. Akarui is a boy?" she starts off whispering slowly, then she raises her voice, "All this time I thought Sora was a girl's name! So… what you're saying is: that I, Kairi," She states her name to confirm who she was, "am going to have to spend junior year at my dream high school; LIVING with a BOY? I this even legal?"_

Wait…what?

* * *

_*Small note: When Ms. Farron said the 'United Worlds', it was supposed to be referenced to the United Nations._

**'Tis another night where I'm getting to sleep late. Well, actually, it's not all THAT late but... you know.  
**

**Omega01x: ****Thank you :). And don't worry, it's not getting in the way of school. Just my sleep ^^". But I still perform well in school.**

**OmegaStarShooter14: Same here! I would love to go to this school.**

* * *

_**Dislciamer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. All rights go to Square Enix and Disney.**_

_Number of mintues spent typing/editing: 212  
_

* * *

**Thank you**_** JayDex, Neko x3, Witch of Tragedies, **_**and**_** You'reHighlightingTooMuch, **_**for the alert!**_**  
**_**And thank you _Omega01x_ for the favorite!  
**

**Thank you for reading! Don't be afraid to check a few of those check-marks or clicking that little blue button.**

**xxxHikari-Kuraixxx (xxxLight-Darkxxx)**_**  
**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**X Not Just Another High School Love Story X**_

_**. Chapter IV .**_

_***~X "Come on. Let's go...home." X~***_

_**~Only Roxas' POV~**_

* * *

_**Last Time In Roxas' POV:**_

_I can't believe this. I thought that switching schools with Xion would make her at least stop trying to avoid me so much! I even convinced Hayner, Pence, and Olette's parent's to let them come with me! But… she won't even give me the time of day. What am I supposed to do? This whole thing is just discouraging._

_"Roxas, cheer up." Olette comes from behind me and smiles. "Things will work out in the end. You'll see."_

_Sighing, I pick up my bags up from where I left them earlier._

_I... I hope you're right, Olette. I really do._

* * *

This whole idea was stupid.

Stupid, and _ignorant_, and _dumb_, and _foolish_—but most of all: **stupid**.

Xion was right. None of this was ever going to change anything: moving schools, homes, uprooting _my whole life_— none of this is worth it. All of it was pointless.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid..." I mutter self-insults under my breath and grab my carry-on luggage.

After going through security and getting the rest of our bags, Hayner, Pence, Olette and I step outside to wait for a bus to pick our group up.

"Isn't this place great?" Pence's eyes glisten with wonder as he gazes at this new territory.

"_No_," I whisper angrily under my breath in response. Having three hours to travel from the 2nd largest city in Kingdom Hearts to the 1st largest city; and replay memories, sulk, regret past decisions, then beat yourself up about said decisions doesn't exactly give you a very 'great' perspective of the world. Or anything.

I can tell by the view, and the way warmth is laced within the atmosphere, that the people here are not only rich in material possessions, but also rich in spirit. They're happy.

_Too_ happy.

Everything is so sugar-coated with joy and glee and exquisiteness that it's disgusting.

How can _anything_ be so happy when... _everything_ is so wrong?

"And why is that?" Hayner asks and crosses his arms. He must've heard my quiet answer. "Last time I checked, it was you who was begging—"

"I was not begging."

"—practically _groveling_ to our parents to let us come to this city and attend GLR. So why, now that we're _miles_ away from home, aren't you being optimistic about this?"

"I mean...it's not like I don't _want_ to be here. It's just..."

"Then why don't you think this place is great?" Pence asks.

I look at Hayner for a moment, then look to Pence, then Olette; not saying a word.

Hayner realizes that his question isn't going to be answered then sighs an impatient sigh. "Damn, Roxas. You know what you need to do? You really need to just-"

"Hayner, I don't..._need_ to do anything, okay? I just don't think this place is anything to _gawk_ at, is all. Now, what _you_ need to do is just calm down, alright? I'm fine."

"But, Roxas, come on-"

"Hey," although Olette's voice is soft, she uses just enough clarity to grasp our attention when she stops us from our minor dispute, "why don't you guys wait up while Roxas and I... talk, for a second, yeah?"

"No Olette, it's okay. I'm fine." Psh, as if those words have actually been helping me. "I'll just keep my comments to myself, I guess."

"Great idea, Olette." Hayner decides to use his occasional so called _'selective hearing'_ and ignores what I just said. He then looks to Pence. "C'mon Pence, let's go."

"But, Hayner," Pence starts, "the bus hasn't even..."

Lo and behold, a bus embellished with GLR Academy Boarding School's purple and silver colors pulls up in the parkway right in front of us. Its air-brakes release a compressed, high-pitched squeak of air.

"...arrived yet," he finishes his pointless and false sentence. "Huh, I guess...nevermind then." He shrugs then goes off towards the bus, walking near Hayner.

I try to hurry towards the bus, but Olette quickly grabs my arm and pulls me to the side.

Trapping me inside the verdant cage of her eyes, she speaks to me, starting softly she says, "Roxas, tell me what's wrong."

"Olette," I say, slightly laughing, "I'm fine, see?" My lips twitch into mediocre smile.

"Roxas, if you're really fine like you say you are, then how come you were calling yourself 'stupid' when we were getting on the train?"

She _heard_ me? "Oh, that? That was just... I was just…"

"(sigh) This is never going to get anywhere at this rate." Olette rubs her temples, sighing quietly. "Look," she begins, "I know how upset you were about what happened at the train station. And-"

"_No_, Olette," I say with dread. "I don't want to talk about that. You know I don't." I look down at my feet. I _really_ don't want to make myself feel worse about this by talking to her...

"Roxas, just listen to me for a second. Please?" Without an answer from me, Olette grabs each of my shoulders, causing me to tilt my head back upward and look at her.

She really is being adamant about this, isn't she?

She takes in a large breath, as if she's going to give me some type of terribly bad news. "Roxas, I know you're upset. But, you know, getting all in your feelings, and being depressed about everything isn't going to help anything. You know _very_ well what you did to that girl, _on purpose_."

She looks at me, almost as if she's waiting for a response, but then keeps talking.

"You really have to think about what she's been going through, and she has been having to deal with over the past few months because of that. And you know what? Truth moment right now: She has _every right_ to be angry with you, Roxas. Xion has the right to scream at you, avoid you, and do all of the other things she's done."

I open my mouth, only to have Olette shut me down.

"But, that does not mean that she won't ever forgive you for the things _you've _done. Alright? These things just take time_._ It may not...—actually, it _will not _happen when you want it to, or the way you want it to, but you should never give up hope.

"You know...Roxas, I hate seeing you like this." Her hands still on my shoulders, she lowers her gaze down to her feet as if she's ashamed of her words, but quickly looks back up to me again, smiling a lighthearted smile. "So no matter what happens, keep your head up!" She puts one of her hands under my chin and tilts my head upwards until I'm not looking at her, but past her. The distant outline of skyscrapers against the sunset horizon comes into vision. "Will you do that for me? Can you promise me that?"

"But..."

"But nothing. Just trust me on this one, okay Roxas? Have I ever lied to you?"

The answer is an obvious: yes. But I don't say anything. What a mood killer that would be. Olette stays silent, allowing me to think for a little while. So I do.

Once my conscience makes a conclusion about her words, I decide that it's better off to just stay in a more positive state of mind for now. When I look back to Olette, I see her eyes are blinking and staring deep into mine. When she sees that I notice her gaze, she quickly flinches her head the other way.

The bus let's out a deep honk. It's about to leave.

"Come on. Let's go... home," she says and slowly removes her hand from my shoulder, but before she can completely drop it to her side, I catch it from falling. Olette's cheeks flush. "Roxas, what are you...?"

I take in a nervous breath and smile, realizing how awkward this may seem, considering that we are only friends; but I don't care. I give her a silent thanks for her encouragement under my breath, and gather my luggage and pull them along, our hands still bound together. A bewildered Olette struggles to quickly grab her stuff in time to follow me.

I've known for a while those slight "More-Than-Just-Friends" feelings Olette that has for me. She doesn't know that I know...but I know. It's actually quite noticeable sometimes. And...it honestly makes me feel sort of bad that I don't feel the same way for her as she does me. I mean, she's always been here for me ever since grade school. She's given me advice, support, discipline (believe it or not), and aid throughout all that's happened with me and Xion. Just her words alone have made a small, but noticeable impression in my life. And, now that I think of it, she really is something special in my life that I don't ever want to lose.

Together, we walk onto the bus.

When I go past the seat where Xion is sitting, calmly reading a book, I still tense up. I clench my hand tighter around my luggage, carefully pinpointing my feelings into its handle, but Olette squeezes my other hand tighter and smiles, assuring me that everything will be better. We keep going to the back where Pence and Hayner sit, not noticing our minor intimate gesture, then put our bags inside of the compartment above our seats.

Once we're settled, the bus rumbles and roars, ignites its engine, and takes off.

* * *

"Hello, welcome to Genesis Lux Rhapsodus Boarding School. New students report to the 7th floor for orientation… Hola, bienvenido a Genesis Lux Rhapsodus Internado…"

A computerized voice transmits from a speaker beside me and alerts our group that we have just arrived at GLR. I take in another deep breath, but this time it's filled with more anxiety than regret. I can thank Olette for that.

"You gonna be okay?" she asks as we walk off the bus and towards the Main Building.

"I think I can handle walking into a building, Mom. I'll be fine," I say in a playful manner, though the shakiness in my voice completely gives away my rouse.

But she just smiles, most-likely happy for the change from my previous attitude to this simultaneous mellow and anxious one.

Hayner suddenly comes behind me. "That's good. You look so scared, I was afraid you were going to pee your pants like you did on the first day of Freshman year." He laughs and starts walking to the clear revolving doors, along with my other two snickering friends.

Wait. I thought... How did he...?

"Olette, you promised you wouldn't tell anyone! Hey!" I yell to them, panting as I run while rolling my bags along.

After a few moments filled with laughter, embarrassment, me being verbally harassed by my own friends, then more laughter; we go inside of an elevator that takes us to the seventh floor where we are supposedly receiving an orientation. But when we go down a hallway to room _715 A_, all I see are these machine-type things labeled in alphabetical order, dispensing folders, books, and sheets of paper.

"Is this how they conduct an orientation?" Pence asks. "Because if that's the case…" He smiles, probably thinking about how much he's going to enjoy this school, being the so-called, "tech geek," he is, when really, he doesn't know anymore about computers than any other teenager in this technology era. I mean, he may be a little bit more interested in the newest technological advances than some, but not enough to call him a geek. But we all still let Pence have his fun. He is our best friend, after all.

"No," says Olette, "we have to go the first letters of our last names, and get our information, _then_ go to orientation in 715 B."

"Which means Roxas and I have to go to 'V', Olette to 'C', and you to 'F'," Hayner adds.

"Okay," Pence responds, "I'll see you at orientation then!" he says, walking away from us. Olette does the same, leaving me alone with Hayner.

Or not.

He has already begun walking towards the 'V' machine. I follow him to the short line, ending up two people behind him. When he gets to the front of the line he does something on the machine that I cannot see. After a few moments, he exits the line with a small leather book and a couple of folders in hand. The next thing I know, my train of thought is disrupted by someone telling me that the line has moved. I hurry and fill the gap between me and the person in front of me and wait for them to finish whatever they're doing. While waiting, I look to Pence and Olette's lines and see that both of them are at least ten people from being at the front of the line. Huh, who knew that so many people could have a name starting with an C or an F?

The person in front of me leaves the line, and I walk up towards the machine.

"Hello. Please select your last name," it says.

Names flash onto the screen, all beginning with the letter V. I scroll down to my last name and press it.

"Villanueva, Roxas E. Is this correct?"

_'Yes'_ is what I choose.

"Hello, Roxas. Welcome to GLR Academy Boarding School. Where we Excel Ever Upward! Report to orientation in room 715 B after I give you your information. Take the rulebook down below on your left."

A slot opens up at the bottom of the machine and it dispenses a leather book. I take it.

"Right now, I am also handing you a folder with the information you will need for the rest of your school year."

The machine "hands" me a white folder with the symbol of the school on it.

"Lastly, here is your room and board information."

One purple folder dispensing later, I gather my things and look at Pence and Olette's lines again and see that both of them are still quite a few people from being at the front of the line. I look around the large room to see that Hayner is leaning against a wall, running his hands wildly through his hair. He always does that when something upsets him.

I go over to ask what's wrong with him, but before I can say anything, Hayner shoves a paper in front of my face. I stagger backwards for a second, confused. Eventually, I grab the paper.

"Read it," he commands.

"Uh...why?" I ask.

"Just do it." He sounds embarrassed. I wonder why...

I look at the paper and begin reading it inside of my mind.

_Room & Board for: __Vaughn, Hayner J._

_Room Number: VC-260  
__Building: 3  
__Group: DDITG#4_

_Roommate: __Court, Olette G._

WHAT?

"How...how is this even possible?!" Hayner groans.

"I...I dunno," I reply, then look at Olette. She's now at the front of her line.

"Roxas, do you understand how awkward this is gonna be?" he asks.

"No-" I suddenly remember that I may still fall victim to getting a roommate who is a girl. What if I have to suffer from this awkwardness? Frantically, I get the purple folder to look what's inside.

_Room & Board for:_ _Villanueva, Roxas E._

_Room Number: TV-178  
__Building: 2  
__Group: SMSD#307_

_Roommate: __Taylor, Axel W._

Axel, that's a guy's name! YES.

I smile at the thought of having a non-awkward rooming situation. Hayner notices my happiness and I see that it makes him feel even worse.

Great, now I have to cheer him up. "Look on the bright side, Hayner!" I smile wider. "At least you're rooming with someone you actually know and not some random person who may want to touch you at night when you don't know about it." Did I mention that I may not be the best at saying the right things all the time?

He gives me a look with the same sharpness of Xion's a few hours earlier. Heh...Xion...

"I know, I know. It wasn't funny..." I say with fear of him lashing out on me.

Hayner buries his face into the papers in his hands, then slides down the wall he's leaning on until he's sitting down on the floor.

"Hey you guys. What's wrong?" Olette, who's now finished with getting her pre-orientation thingy, comes up to us and asks Hayner.

"Uh...well..." How do I explain this to her? "...just...j-just look at your Room & Board information."

She looks at me for a moment, then pulls out her purple folder slowly like she's about to defuse a bomb. She takes out that fateful sheet of paper with her and Hayner's information on it. Her eyes widen as they scan the paper, but the rest of her face doesn't even change expression.

"But...I thought they...hm..." she mumbles, placing a finger on her chin.

"Hey, what's going on?" Pence, who is also now finished with the thingy (I _really_ don't know what to call it), asks.

"We need to go to orientation, that's what." Olette dismisses everything that just happened and starts walking away.

"B-but, but what about-?" Hayner stammers.

"-Just come on! We'll figure it out soon enough!" Her voice echoes from the outside of the room.

Haynet lets out an exasperated groan then stands up and starts to walk away, dragging his luggage and his feet along the ground.

* * *

"Genesis Lux Rhapsodos. Such a dedicated man, he was. He was so..._**passionate**_ in whatever he did. Especially in finding the lost pages of LOVELESS: the magnificently written, yet underrated, incomplete book of poems written during the _Chanson_ period. Now, you students who don't know much about it will learn more about that for your Junior year curriculum, _if_ you already haven't. But, anyways, where was I? ...Ah yes, Genesis was a dedicated man..."

When we walk into room 715 B, we are slightly taken aback by what is inside:

It's a theatre. Or an auditorium, whatever you want to call it.

The room...looked so much smaller from the outside. I mean, I guess this isn't the biggest theatre in the world, but still, I wasn't expecting a theatre when I walked in here.

We go down an isle to find four seats. On stage, we see a man dressed in a fancy black suit, giving what I'm guessing is an introduction speech.

"Hey, Hayner, wasn't that suit in your mom's fall edition?" I ask, eyeing the man with silver hair, as we sit down.

"Tch, yeah probably." Hayner shakes his head.

He doesn't exactly enjoy the fact that his mother not only owns the famous fashion _Vaughn Magazine_, but also makes him read and analyze every new piece featured inside a new issue. But, though he hates to admit it, Hayner does have a good fashion sense because of it...And gives good fashion tips...

"Who is that guy, anyways?" he asks.

"He's Sephiroth," Pence whispers, "our school principle, brother of the head dean, Xemnas."

"How do you know all of this?" Hayner asks.

"Olette and I did loads of research on this school," he replies. "You didn't think we'd just let Roxas drag us across Kingdom Hearts without knowing about where we were going, did you?"

"Oh," Hayner and I say at the same time and sit back in our seats and listen to the principle again.

"...When I was just a young man, an ignorant, wannabe SOLDIER, it was Genesis who taught me everything there is to know about the Goddess and LOVELESS, and how each of us are connected somehow. We're _all_ unique in our own special way. And even though GLR doesn't have the most diversity in economical backgrounds, we are trying to integrate all kinds of different people inside of our wonderful academy. Which is why we are beginning a few new scholarship programs this year: the Angeal Hewley Fund Sports Scholarships, the Relm Arrowny Fund for the Arts Scholarships..."

What. Is. He. _Talking. About?_

This is getting boring.

I look around the room to find something that may just pique my attention...

And I found it.

A girl is drawing a picture next to me. Only with her petite hands and a mechanical pencil, she creates something I can barely see. I guess she can feel my eyes on her because her hair whips past my face as she quickly turns her head towards me. A pair of deep blue eyes covered with blonde strands of hair blink at me.

"Could you _not_ look at me while I work, please? Thank you."

"Uh. I'm...sorry?"

She scoffs and crosses her legs, one over the other, then turns her body around slightly so I can only see her arm move angrily across the sketchpad, which I cannot see.

Geez, is it "Every girl, with the exception of Olette, be cold to Roxas" day, or what?

I sigh an annoyed sigh, then turn my attention back towards our principal, Sephiroth.

"...Along with our new scholarships, we also have other new additions to the school this year as well. Like our new dorm group. Now, if you look inside of your Room & Board folder, you'll see a sheet of paper showing your room number, building, _group_, and _roommate_." He slows down his talking to emphasize the last two words.

I let out a silent gasp. "Hayner!" I whisper loudly.

"I know, I know," he says, frantically pulling out his sheet of paper. "Just...be quiet, alright!?"

I look at Olette and see that she's silently looking at Mr. Sephiroth, her expression still unchanged.

"Most of you students will have a group called either the SMSD or the SFSD, followed by an asterisk and a number. SMSD and SFSD stands for: Standard (Male or Female) Student Dorm, the asterisk followed by a number that should be between 1 and 1000, is what pair of students you and your roommate are.

"Now, some of you may NOT have SMSD or SFSD as your group, you may have DDITG followed by an asterisk and a number between 1 and 5. Well, you lucky few have been selected to take part in our new Double Dorm Introduction Test Group. You see, the district school board has decided that we should try something...different. At first we didn't see eye-to-eye on the subject, but after a few years and..." he starts to mumble something barely audible about threatens or something, "'we' made the decision to have double dorms with one boy and one girl in each! We 'randomly' selected 10 students to participate in this new program. And, before you start calling your lawyers and legal advisors: Yes. This is perfectly legal. So long as we do our 'best' to keep you 'monitored'."

Why he keeps putting finger quotations on crucial words? Maybe I'll never know.

But what I do know is that life for this school year is going to be...interesting. I can just feel it.

"Okay, time for the tour!" Sephiroth claps his hands. "And this year, our new-student tour this year will be conducted by Marluxia Juneax."

The from falls into a thick silence as a girl with hair pink as—...well, I don't know how to describe to how pink it is—does a sort of strut across the stage and up to the microphone.

Wait a sec, that's not a girl, it's a _boy_.

...the_ fu_-

"-YEAH! GO, MARLY! SHOW THESE BITCHES WHO'S BOSS!"

"Sit _down_, Ms. Selphie Tilmitt*," Sephiroth commands from onstage to some screaming girl in the front row. He sounds as if this isn't the first time he has had to tell her this.

Yup. It's going to be a pretty...interesting year, indeed. And here I thought I was only going to have to deal with getting forgiveness from Xion all year.

Ah, and here comes the guilt again. Wonderful.

* * *

**Told ya'~ *points to title of story*. Hehe.**

**Hey~ look at me, finally back on the face of the planet! How long has it been since I left? Just over a month? Awesome.**

**And don't think that the very ending was just random and pointless, 'cuz it wasn't. ^^ Everything in this story happens for a reason.**

**I'm sorry if this chapter bored the hell out of you. I was really just trying to get the information in and I probably gave you too much of it all at once.**

**Oh yeah, and I lied when I said that each of the single-person POVs were going to be shorter in length ^^". Hehe...whoops.**

**OmegaStarShooter14****: Yup, that's her name! And you were watching the VMA's? Cool! I always miss those award shows for some reason. Like the Grammy's, my friend told me about some weird performance that I guess Nick Minaj did, and I was like, "The Grammy's were on yesterday?!" Yeah, I'm kind of an ahead when it comes to when and what time TV shows come on (youknowexceptforSpongeBob XD).**

**DemonicRin****: Thanks! And yes, this high school is very awesome, isn't it?**

**Omega01x****: Honestly, I've never even been **_**close**_** to a boarding school before. But, you know, I think my imagination fills the gap of what I actually don't about them and what I do. :)**

**Q-A the Authoress****: Thank you!**

**Starlol9****: Yeah Ms. Farron is VERY crazy. Thank you!**

**Jomatto****: Well, you already know how grateful I am for your review, lol. I really did scream and tears did, indeed, shed from my eyes. Again, thanks for taking the time to help me edit my first chapter!**

**musicbox****: Ah! Nothing's gonna be too dirty. (Maybe.) Hehehe...**

_(*Edit: I just remembered that Selphie actually DOES have an official last name [Tilmitt]. So, I changed her last name back to the original from what I had before [Mayers].)_

**Thank you **_**zombiekilla123**_**, **_**StarySkies**_**, and **_**magic bounce**_** for the alert! And thank you **_**Namixas-Forever**_**, **_**Starlol9**_**, and **_**magic bounce**_** for the favorite!**

**And remember, be truthful when you review please! It'll really, really help the story. ^^**

**xxxHikari-Kuraixxx (xxxLight-Darkxxx)**


	5. Chapter 5

_**X Not Just Another High School Love Story X  
. Chapter V .  
*~X **__**Burlesque**__** X~***_

* * *

**Kairi's POV**

"Hi, Naminé."

"Hey, Kairi…"

I went over to Naminé's dorm within mere minutes after I finished bombarding her with hopelessly unanswered questions.

"Kairi, this is my roommate: Xion," Namine says as she leads me into the main room to reveal a girl who is lying lazily on the couch, moving her head to the rhythm playing through her headphones.

Although slightly lost in her music, Xion looks up at me after adjusting a piece of her sleek black hair from in front of her face and blinks her eyes for a while. I was going to introduce myself to her, but then she took the initiative and smiled a half smile. "Hey."

"Uhm, hi," I mumble then follow Naminé back through the hallway past their living room, but then notice something very suspicious.

There's only one door down this hall.

We walk through that door and behind it is a bedroom. With two beds, instead of just one single bed made for a single person.

"N-Naminé, why are there two beds in here? Don't you have your own room?"

"No, why?"

"Because… in my dorm there's a bedroom only meant for one person, but there's also a locked door that I can't get into."

"That's strange. Hm…" Naminé thinks for a moment. "Do you think they may have…?" she trails off.

"'May have' what?"

Naminé's eyes open wide and her jaw drops open as her bottom lip quivers. She looks like she just had an epiphany.

"Naminé, 'may have' what? What happened? What's wrong with you?" Here I go with my '20 questions' thing again.

Suddenly Xion walks into the room, still paying more attention to her music than anything else. She clears her throat and pulls out one headphone again. "Hey um… Naminé, remember when that weird guy with the pink hair was giving us a tour and he talked about calling a counselor if you needed assistance? I think that you guys should call them, you know, to help with the problem you're having. They come personally to your dorm and everything if you need help. Most of the time it's someone named Riku. I don't remember his last name."

"Really? That's great!" I beam, my spirits now lifted, brushing off Naminé's weird behavior. "Thank you, Xion!" I chuckle and go over to Xion and gave her a light hug. "Come on, Namine. Let's go to my dorm so that we can call the counselor… what was his name again?" I look back at Xion.

"Riku."

"Riku. Right. Thanks again, Xion."

"Yeah, thanks!" Naminé says, then walks out of the bedroom. "I'll be back soon, Xion."

"'Kay," she replies then puts her headphones back on and sits down on her bed.

"See you later," I say then walk out.

"See ya'," Xion ends the series of goodbyes.

Naminé and I walk out of dorm room number KR-430 and go down the elevator from the fourth floor down to the first.

"Xion seems… nice," I say, breaking the uncomfortable silence between us as we walk toward my building.

"Yeah, she is," Namine says back to me then pauses. I was going to say something else but then she starts again. "I don't know why she acted sort of shy around you. Then again, she did the same thing to me, too. But after I stopped freaking out about where you were and what happened to you, she calmed me down and helped me realize that the school wouldn't let you turn up missing just like that. After that, she talked to me with ease. But then… she sort of went back into her shell when you walked in."

"Maybe I scared her."

"Oh, yeah, Kairi. Because you're just oh so intimidating," Namine says sarcastically.

"Oh whatever!" I say then push her while she laughs at the thought. We stay silent after our laughter dies down and do so for the rest of the walk to my building.

When we make it to the third floor, I slide my keycard through the slit and lead Namine into my dorm. We go to my bedroom (where my still unpacked bags are sloppily placed in) so that we can use the provided telephone.

"Man, Kairi, I think your dorm is bigger than ours! Why do you get special treatment?"

I shrug, I know about this situation just as much as she does, maybe even less. "What's the number?" I ask after putting the phone to my ear, ready to dial.

Namine stops fiddling with her fingers and looks at me with a shocked expression and her mouth wide open.

"Don't tell me that you don't know the number to the main building!" I groan, dropping my tense shoulders in disbelief.

"I-I forgot to ask!" she defends.

I shake my head. "Great. Now we have to go all the way to the main building to search for a counselor."

"Actually… no we don't," Namine says, staring at nothing as she got an idea. "We can just call Xion! She ought to know what the number is."

"Yeah, we could, but… how do we call another dorm?" I ask, hoping that she would at least know this small piece of information.

"I don't know…"

"Namine~!" I whine in frustration of having to walk back to her building then plop down from my seating position to lying down on the bed with my feet hanging over the edge.

"Come on, Kairi." Namine sighs, then stands up and holds her hand out to me. "A little more walking never hurt anyone. And aren't you supposed to be a gymnast _and_ a pro blitzball player? I've seen you run five miles every morning for two months straight! So get your lazy ass up so that we can get this number," she nags.

"Get your lazy ass up…" I mimic in a high pitched voice. Then, although hesitant, I grab her outstretched hand and got up from the bed.

"Good girl!" she says in a demeaning voice.

I roll my eyes then walk out the bedroom, and eventually, out of the dorm.

After visiting Xion again and going back to the dorm, we sit back down in the same place that we were previous to the whole number fiasco. I dial *123 (and almost died at the simplicity of the number) and wait for an answer on the other line.

"_Hello?"_ I hear a female voice on the other line.

"Hi," I say in a formal tone, "I was wondering if I could talk to a student counselor."

"_Okay. Did you have any one counselor in mind?"_

"Um… Oh, yes! I think his name was… Riku?"

"_Okay, Riku will be at your dorm within the next hour or two. Is there anything else you need?"_

I do have a few other questions, but I think I'll save them for the counselor. "N-no that will be all. Thank you."

I hang up the phone and tell Namine what the lady told me.

"So… what do we do now?" Namine asks.

I shrug. "I dunno… we could…unpack my bags, I guess."

"Okay," she agrees and walks over to my suitcases.

Unpacking my clothes, school supplies, toiletries, and many other things and putting them away took almost 40 minutes.

"Now what do we do?" I ask.

This time, Namine shrugs. "I guess we just sit and wait."

"Okay." I walk out of the room and Naminé follows behind me and we sit down in the living room to watch TV.

Within the next half hour, I hear a knock on the door.

_Well it took him long enough…_ I think then sit up.

"I'll get it." Namine sighs and gets off the love seat she's in.

"Hello Kairi, I'm your requested counselor: Riku Moon." I hear a deep and smooth voice speak to Naminé when she opens the door.

Naminé giggles like a maniac as she starts to blabber out words. "O-oh I'm not Kairi, she's Kairi." She points to me, although I highly doubt he can see me since the door is in the way. "You know, the one with the red hair? Her hair is really, really red! A-and she's my best friend. Do you have any best friends? I moved here with one of my best friends. Her name is Kairi! …Oh, wait, you already knew that. Uhm…" She tries to cover up her strawberry colored face, although it was pointless, she's already made a complete embarrassment of herself. "Uh… Hi! My name is Namine! Nice to meet you… Riku." She purrs his name when she says it.

"Nice to meet you, too, Namine." He doesn't seem bothered by her strange blabbering. They walk through the short hallway that leads into the main room.

The first thing I notice about this counselor is his silver and pearly white hair. It runs its way all the way past his shoulders and is slightly longer than mine. Some of his hair comes into his face, hiding his mysterious, opaque, teal eyes. The other parts come downward in uneven layers and look as sharp as daggers.

He has a tiny forced smile that could barely be seen. His cheekbones are masculine and strong.

The boy's body is his best feature, though. His tanned skin is mostly covered up by a green sweater-vest with a black sweater underneath it. Though I can clearly see his perfectly chiseled muscles being hugged tightly by his attire as he holds a folder with, I'm guessing, my information inside. This person looks great! His body is so perfect. He's fit and looks extremely athletic.

"Hello? Kairi?"

"Oh, hello Riku!" I smile as if I weren't just frozen for however-many-long minutes. "Come inside!"

"So, they tell me that you've been having problems," he says, getting straight to the point.

"Oh y-yes." I'm in a complete daze by his god-like beauty. _How many times does he work out per week? Must be at least a dozen…Maybe I could get him to help me train._

"So… what are your problems?"

"Uhm… well…"

"We don't kn-know why we have different dorms together. Even though we requested them," Naminé says quietly, now calmed down, but still nervous.

"Yeah," I agree.

"Okay, well…let me look at your records," he says then uses his _strong_ muscles to open the manila folder. "So, yes, you guys are correct about requesting to be roommates, but it looks like Kairi was selected to-"

_Knock! Knock!_

_Damn that stupid door, _I think._ Who could be here now?_

"Hey… I'm Sora Akarui. Your new roommate."

"Kairi?" Naminé says behind me. "Who's that at the door?"

_**Slam!**_

I close the door in the persons face.

"Kairi," Namine sort of raises her voice, "who was that?"

"That," Riku stands up from his sitting position on our couch, "I believe; was your new roommate: Sora Hikari Akarui."

Namine goes to the door and looks through the peep hole. Almost immediately as soon as she saw who it was, she shrieked.

"That's S-Sora Akarui?" she asks. Riku nods.

"So…" I turn around to face him. "Is she a… cross-dresser…?"

"Kairi!" Namine gasps. "That's so mean, don't call her a cross dresser! She's just… a tomboy… I guess. A very, very manly… tomboy…"

"What do you mean 'she'?" Riku asks. "Sora is a boy. I thought you knew."

"Huh…?" I ask.

Suddenly, 'Sora' begins banging on the door.

"_Hello?" they say. "Hello!?"_

Naminé begins to freak out. She doesn't exactly deal with surprises very well.

"Yeah, and he's also one of my closest friends, so would you please open the door for him?" Riku asks and starts to walk towards the door. I grab his hand to stop him from opening the door.

"What…? He's your… best friend? And _he's_…" I look up at Riku and gulp; he doesn't have a forced smile on anymore. He's just serious this time. I shake my head in disbelief.

It looks like Riku is going to say something, but I stop him from saying another word.

"W-wait a minute…Sora H. Akarui is a boy? All this time I thought Sora was a girl's name! So… what you're saying is: that I, Kairi, am going to have to spend junior year at my dream high school; LIVING with a BOY? Is this even legal?"

Riku starts to laugh. "Yes. Didn't you already know this?

I shake my head.

"Didn't you go to orientation? Principal Sephiroth told you right there."

Damn. I'm really starting to regret going straight to my dorm after that video. "N-no… not really… B-but-"

"So you don't know anything about the school." Riku assumes then sighs.

"I-I do know about the school… just not-"

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

We hear Sora knock harder on the other side of the door. I still hold Riku's hand.

I feel kind of… knocked outside of reality. Did he really just say what I think he said? I don't believe it. I _can't_ believe it. Was I one of the…?

At that very second, I remember my group name.

_DDITG#1_

No.

It can't be.

I can't be in _that_ group. No. There's just no way.

How did I let this possibility slip my mind? I _knew_ about the Co-Ed Introduction Test Groups that GLR was going to try out, because I did do _some_ research on the school…

But how could I ever even begin to think that I would be one of those 10 students?

The sound of Sora's annoying banging on the door and the look that Riku is giving me is just enough to sharpen the knife cut its way into my confused thought process and harshly knocks me out of my trance and back into reality.

"Kairi? A-are you okay…?" Namine asks, walking over to pry my hand away from around Riku's.

No, I'm not okay. I'm going to have to live with a boy for Christ's sake! How can I be okay? I'm anything but that.

But all I do is smile. "I'm just fine."

I walk out of the small hallway, back to the bedroom, locking the door behind me.

* * *

So here I am; locked inside of a bedroom, listening to the cries of teenagers that want me to get out of here.

Wow. Sora is a boy. That is… not what I expected. At all.

I don't even know what to do except pace back and forth. We _requested_ to be in a dorm together! Why didn't they just choose someone else?

This is ridiculous.

Absolutely, positively, ridiculous!  
And maybe, it actually would be funny, you know, if it happened to any other person. But of course, it just _**had**_ to happen to me.

Out of the hundreds—maybe thousands of other students on this amazingly huge campus, that could have gotten a co-ed dorm; Fate decided to dance around and wave her pointy wand so that she could do whatever in her power to make me 1 of the few _**10**_ students who were 'randomly selected' and cursed—I mean, 'assigned', to live with a student of the opposite gender!

If this is a sick joke, then I am not amused.

"Kairi." I can hear Naminé's muffled voice behind the door. "Please come out so that we can talk!"

No Namine. I won't come out. Do you understand how it feels to think that you are going to be living with a girl and realize that they really are a guy? No. You don't. So leave me alone while I freak out and rant.

_What am I gonna do? What am I going to __**DO**__?_ I panic inside of my mind. Seriously, what _am_ I going to do? I can't exactly just go outside and welcome this 'Sora' guy to live with me with welcoming arms!

They could have told me sooner so that I could at least prepare for this!

The thought just feels so… uncomfortable. I'm going to be living here with a guy.

Living _HERE_!

With a _**GUY**_!

Not my best friend—but some random guy that I just barely met! Well, if you count slamming a door in his face as 'meeting him.'

How am I supposed to do this?

* * *

**Naminé's POV**

"Kai! Ri! Kai! Ri!" I say the two syllables of my best friends name while sit on the floor and knock on the door. "Get out of there!"

Still no answer from her.

Ugh! What is wrong with that girl? If she really feels all that uncomfortable, how does she expect me to feel? There are these _two guys_ hovering over me! She knows how I get around boys! I have this serious urge to get all fluttery and bubbly and happy right now, _oh_ how I do. But I can't make a fool of myself now. I have to get Kairi out of there! I can't leave her in there to sulk all day.

"This is getting stupid…" Riku says then starts to walk away. I begin to stand up to go after him but we both stop in our tracks when we hear the door to the bedroom open. I, who was still leaning against the door, called out to Kairi but then fell on my face.

"Namine! Are you okay? I'm sorry." Kairi keeps apologizing to me.

I rub my aching head. "Yeah… I'm fine, I guess. Now," I dismiss the situation, "on to more important matters. Kairi, you and… Sora, need to talk."

* * *

**Man, time runs fast! I looked at the last time I updated this story and it has already been over a month. I'm telling you, it really pains me to do these harsh update times.**

**Okay, so, I was going to do a pattern to how the POVs go, but then it's not gonna work out to how I wanna do this story, so, just bear with me as I jump from POV to POV. (There might even be a third person POV thrown in there somewhere…)**

**musicbox: Yeah, weird things are my specialty!**

**FrecklesLoveJoy: Haha, thank you. And Marluxia is, and always will be, a boss!**

**OmegaStarShooter14: Thank you! I don't like making people wait, though… It pained me to do a weekly update over the summer, NOW look at me! DX**

**PrincessWarrior3: I'm glad you reviewed! Don't worry, just review as often as you can, I don't mind. And, yeah, Roxas does seem like a person to feel bad for… Until you hear about what he did to Xion. :(**

**Thank you **_**Written Magic, Kimmosaur1, Omega02x, **_**and **_**Elite Fantasy**_** (I think I forgot to thank you last time. Sorry!) for the alert! And thank you **_**PrincessWarrior3 **_**for the favorite!**

**IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: This story is going to be on hiatus, and so will my other active stories (Well, one more chapter of Guardian Angel will be updated) so I can get that sequel to my other story up and running. Oh, my... I'm sorry. (/.\) Forgive me, please?**

**Well, hope to see you readers of this story again before the year ends! Please review!**

**xxxHikari-Kuraixxx (xxxLiht-Darkxxx)**


	6. Chapter 6

_**X Not Just Another High School Love Story X**_

_**. Chapter VI .**_

_***~X Trouble in Paradise X~***_

* * *

**Sora's POV**

There is one word that explains my situation at the very moment:

Awkward.

Completely and utterly awkward.

I'm going to be living with a _girl_ for the next _year_. How could things get any more awkward than that?

And not only am I living with a girl; but this girl… is… how do I say this without sounding like a teenage boy with raging hormones? — Oh what the hell, this girl is hot.

Which makes this situation all the more awkward.

After being let in to my dorm by Riku, he explained the how the whole DDITG (which turned out to be _Double Dorm Introduction Test Group, _can you believe it?) thing works. Once he finished debriefing me of all the details, he told me that my roommate Kairi had locked herself inside her own bedroom.

We had to bang on her door for a while until she decided to open the door once Riku almost left. She still was a bit high-strung over the situation, so her blonde friend, Riku and I talked to her for over an hour just to calm her down.

Then they left.

Now, we are alone.

Don't get any ideas; it really isn't as pleasant as you think it is. Remember what I said at the beginning of my little anecdote? Yeah, _very_ awkward.

She keeps staring at me and sizing me up, watching my every move. Right now, I'm in the living room, sitting on the couch, watching TV. (My TV isn't hooked up to its satellite yet. What a lucky few days this has been for me!) She supposedly is watching it with me (I'm not sure if her TV is out too, or if she's just that fond of sitting next to me), but I can feel her eyes burning my left side.

But despite the apparent distraction and setbacks of this situation, this dorm has a few perks. One, I actually _get_ my own room (the other dorms only have one dorm). Two, I get my own bathroom (like the bedroom, other dorms only get one bathroom to share). Three, I get my own room. The main point is, I have _privacy_ now.

This is turning out to be completely different than what I first expected when Riku told me a girl would be living with me.

In all honesty, I thought that I was going to share a room with some random poor and needy nerdy girl (Riku told me that she got a scholarship to be here) that I would just try to avoid for the whole year that I would spend living here.

But it turns out; this girl is really unavoidable.

(sigh) I know she hates the whole idea of us rooming together, and I'm a bit leery about it too—but what's done is done. And since we're going to be living together, I must be the better person who guides us out of this uncomfortable atmosphere. So I guess I'll just try and talk to her.

Whew. Okay, here I go—

"You know," Kairi speaks up as soon as I am about to, "I thought you were a girl because of your name. You really need to get it changed in the future."

Wow. This girl is kind of… rude. What do I say to that? "U-uhm… Okay? Thanks for the uh… advice."

"You're welcome."

I really have the urge to call her a certain word out of her name (you know what which one I'm talking about) but for the sake of our already unstable relationship, I'll just be quiet.

After the show that I was watching came off, I turned to wrestling. Kairi didn't protest, she just turns her attention to her cellphone and dials a number.

"Hey, Naminé," she says over the phone. "Do you have any extra tampons and pain pills that I could use? I'm all out and I think I'm about to start."

Uhh…

What?

I begin to cough loudly so she maybe gets the hint that I'm _sitting right here_. I don't wanna hear them talk about their…_girly_ products. I might get the Cooties.

"Oh, sorry." She unfolds her legs and gets off the couch to go to her room. "Oh, no, it was just Sora. Yeah. Mhmm. So, do you…" Her voice faded out as her door closed.

Way to make this whole situation even more awkward, Kairi. Thanks.

I grab a pillow from behind me and bury my red face into its soft feathers. "I don't know how I'm gonna get through this year!" I scream, although it was muted by the pillow.

Yup. This whole thing is just…awkward.

**Roxas' POV**

After the tour of the campus, we were told to immediately head to our dorms. Pence and I are in the same building so we were separated from Hayner and Olette. Pence is one floor above me, the second floor, so we also parted ways as he took an elevator up to his dorm. He said his dorm is _HR-207_ and his roommate is some person named Seifer J. Holden. Ha, what a weird name.

I go down the hallway where I figure that my dorm is in and search for _TV-178_. I finally find it when I walk past the second-to-last door in the hall. I pull out my ID card and slide it through the slit to gain entrance.

I walk inside of the dorm, which has all of the lights off (I guess my roommate's in our bedroom) then let go of one of my bags to close the door behind me. A thin but noticeable cloud of smoke seasons the air and the smell of fire creates a stench in my nostrils.

Wait… _**Fire**_?

FIRE!

_Holy shit_, not even a whole day of being in Radiant Garden and everything is going up in flames. Literally. First Xion, now _this_.

I inhale sharply then cover my mouth with my shirt and put my hand on the doorknob, almost walking back outside, but then realize that my roommate is probably in here. It's not too bad of a fire since it's just light smoke, but that's how they all start, right? I walk into the main room of the dorm and see that there's a tall man with long, spikey hair is sitting in there, on the couch, flipping one of those vintage metal box pocket lighters, a pile of chard ash with small sparks glowing in it, lying beside him.

"Hey, you must be Roxas, my new roommate. The name's Axel, got it memorized?" the man says. I can't see his face clearly, but I can tell that he has a shit-eating, maniacal grin on his face.

What the fuck is this guy…? "Wha-? _You're_ Axel?"

"The one and only."

"Did… Did _you_ do this?!"

"Mmhmm." He nods.

"_**Why**_?"

"I just wanted to… freshen up the place a little. Makes you feel right at home, doesn't it?"

**Kairi's POV**

"Okay, okay. Yes, I have to admit; I honestly don't even know how to live around guys," I say to Naminé, who is on speaker phone, while I'm in my bathroom washing my face. "I mean, I've only lived with my sisters and Mom. That's it. Well… except for my dad… but, yeah, you know. Let's not talk about that right now."

Naminé only says "mmhmm" a few times, and I realize that she's not really listening.

"Are you even listening?" I ask her to get her to pay attention again.

"_Yes. Of course I am!"_ she replies.

I roll my eyes. She's a terrible liar. "So, anyways, I keep watching Sora because I just _don't know_ what's up with him. He seemed to take this whole 'living together' situation lightly, as if it's nothing! While I'm still uneasy about it. I wonder if he notices my staring at times…

"_Mmhmm._" There she goes again. Whatever, I need to vent about this stuff somehow. And I know none of my other friends back home will really understand.

"Ugh. It still feels weird to even say that I'm living with him, though." I'm finished washing and drying my face and start to apply moisturizing cream. "Especially after just finding out that he actually isn't a girl. Like I told him last night; he really needs his name changed." I give myself one quick look in the mirror (and it is a beautiful sight, if I do say so myself), I walk out of my bathroom then collapse on my bed. "Naminé, I don't want to do this. Why do I have to live with him? I don't understand why it couldn't have been somebody, _ANYBODY_ else who got chosen!" My voice is muffled by my ultra-plush pillow.

"_Take your face out of your pillow, Kairi. I can't hear what you're saying,"_ Naminé says tiredly. So I guess she _was_ listening.

"Sorry." I lift my head up.

"_Kai, did you only call me to complain?_" Naminé asks. _"Not to be mean, but we've had this conversation already."_

"No_, Naminé, _I did not just call you to complain," I hiss, though she can probably see through my lies. "I uh… have an idea."

"_An idea?"_

"Yeah…an idea."

"_Oh? Well then, let's hear this 'idea' of yours."_

"I think, maybe I _should_ try and make the best of this," I start. "I can use this opportunity to get to know Sora. I mean, the guy _is_ best friends with Riku. And, if I get Riku to help me out with my sports, since he obviously is a personal trainer (just look at him!), then I will have a free period!"

"_In all honesty, Kairi, I think you just have a thing for that guy."_

"Me? A thing? Psh. You can't say anything, Missy. You were getting all flustered over him when you first opened the door."

"_N-no, I wasn't!"_

"Mhmm."

She doesn't say anything back.

Ha, doesn't feel good, does it Naminé?

"So, anyways, back to my plan: I'll befriend Sora so that I can get to Riku. Simple enough, right?"

"_Hm. You know what, Kairi? I think that's the stupidest idea I've ever heard."_

(Gasp!) How dare she?

"_Kairi, all you need to is __just__relaaax__. You know, go with the flow and the flow will go with you, right?"_

"But, _how_? I don't think you even understand what I'm going through!"

"Yes, I do. Remember? My two brothers?" Ugh, don't remind me. Those demon children. "All you have to do is just… pretend I'm your roommate. _Simple enough, right?_ And stop acting like a panicked, high-strung, tight-ass all the time, okay?"

"…You insult me more than any other person I've ever met, you know that right?"

"That's what best friends are for."

"(sigh) I give up. I swear, I hate that I love you. Goodnight, Naminé."

I hear her laugh heartily. "Goodnight, Kainiss. Don't let the bed bugs bite."

"Yeah, whatever."

* * *

**Hello~! How have you guys been?**

**I finally got this unplanned, unexpected, and unlike-any-other chapter updated! \(^.^)/ Freakin' yays, man.**

**OmegaStarShooter14: Aw, well thank you for making me feel better about the late update situation! And yes, he was very accurate, wasn't he? XD And yes, poor, poor Sora. *points to his POV***

**musicbox: Haha, yeah. And we'll get to them... soon. ;)**

**Thank you ****_meganlong8591, _****_robot1975, _****_seraphicfox2515,_ and _Falixio82_ for the alert! And thank you ****_meganlong8591 _and ****_Falixio82 _for the favorite!**

**********Thanks a bunch, again! Please review, favorite, alert, whichever! See you soon...er or later!**

**********xxxHikari-Kuraixxx (xxxLight-Darkxxx)**


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